Brian De Palma’s adaptation of Stephen King’s Carrie is one of the greatest horror films of all time, and one of my personal favorite films ever. For fifty years, it has stood the test of time, thanks to the incredible performances of Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie. I’ve believed that every sequel and reboot since (three altogether) has been a misfire, or just a pointless cash grab. And let’s not get started on the Broadway musical that was not great at all. So needless to say, I approached this new Prime Video Carrie series from Mike Flanagan with a very raised eyebrow. But Flanagan proved that no one is more adept at adapting Stephen King for modern audiences than he is, because Carrie succeeds in almost every way.
Being a film, De Palma’s original 1976 Carrie had to function in a totally different way. Movies aren’t television, obviously. You have a limited time, usually two hours, to tell a story. And there isn’t much time to establish who a character is and their entire motivation. You might just have one scene that lasts a minute or two to do that. So things have to play broadly, go bigger. Television, especially modern TV, has the luxury of being able to take its time, and give nuance where none existed before. And in Flanagan’s Carrie, this approach truly pays off in spades.
The eight part Mike Flanagan series hits all the major notes from King’s book that you’d expect, but makes changes to fit a contemporary setting. But the biggest change might be in the characters of Carrie and Margaret White. In this version, Carrie has been raised in complete secrecy by her religious, conspiracy-minded parents. She has no social security number, and no one knows she exists until her father dies in a tragic accident. When she’s discovered as a young teen, her mother is forced to place her in public school. But even though she’s rightfully timid, she has an innate curiosity and eagerness to make friends that King’s Carrie White does not.
Meanwhile, while her mother Margaret (Samantha Sloyan of Midnight Mass) is far more complicated than any version put to screen before. She’s still a controlling, detestable mess of a human. But unlike in Stephen King’s book or the many films, you don’t get the sense she innately hates her daughter deep down. On some level, she’s trying to protect her from a world she hates and fears. There are times in this series you actually root for her. They are rare, but they’re there. This is a version of Margaret White you might actually know in real life, which is mildly terrifying.
None of this series works, however, if Summer H. Howell doesn’t totally kill it as Carrie. (No pun intended.) Once again, she’s more conventionally “cute” than in King’s book version. But this is a different Carrie already than King’s. The original version was such a weird, off-putting outcast, it was often hard to relate to her. This Carrie is sympathetic while also being relatable. We’ve all been the new kid at school at some point. She’s weird enough that King’s version of Carrie is still in there, but relatable enough that we see ourselves in her, too.
Another thing this series does incredibly well is update this story, which is over fifty years old now, to 2026. The 2013 movie remake paid lip service to the aspect of social media on Carrie’s bullying, but this series really makes good use of it. It shows how social media has given the worst among us a new tool to torment others, and every use of it makes your blood boil. Carrie 2026 is as much an exploration of what it means to be an outcast in the modern day world of Instagram as it us about a telekinetic girl who goes on a rampage at prom.
What Carrie does amazingly well is show that giving nuance and explaining a character’s motivations does not absolve them of wrongdoing. Case in point, the character of Chris Hargensen, Carrie’s bully. In King’s original novel, we don’t get a metric ton of insight into why Chris is so awful. There’s a bit about her rich father, but not much else. Here, we see how Chris grew up wealthy and entitled, and when she suddenly loses her ability to get everything she wants in life because her father loses his money and status, she lashes out at the most vulnerable person in her proximity — new girl, Carrie White.
What makes this Chris so much more despicable is that she pretends to be Carrie’s friend. Thus, making the ultimate betrayal so much more painful. Alison Thornton gives a truly nuanced performance here. But I am going to have a hard time not hating her in any future projects she appears in, just because she’s that good at being awful. Also, we should give props to Josie Totah as Tina, Chris’ “mean girl” right hand, who is often as awful (or worse) than Chris is. Actress Siena Agudong gives us a sympathetic and nuanced portrayal of the conflicted Sue Snell as well.
Of course, Flanagan’s Carrie isn’t perfect. The original King text is only 250 or so pages long. It’s a short book. So there are added elements, such as a running throughline about powerful telekinetic women and a secret society which they exist in, that doesn’t always work. Another change I won’t spoil happens at the climactic prom, which I remain very conflicted about. (Don’t worry, there is still pig’s blood.) And this ensemble features some A-list talent that sometimes feels wasted. Heather Graham plays Chris’ mother, and it’s a thankless role here. In contrast, I feel Matthew Lillard makes the most use of his limited screen time as Principal Grayle.
The rest of the cast, including Rahul Kohli, are solid. Amber Midthunder sometimes seems too young to be Carrie’s concerned gym coach Miss Desjardin. But that’s just because everyone ages far differently in 2026 than 1976. She’s good (but underserved) too. Again, it’s the main cast who really makes Carrie deliver in a series format. Yet again, Flanagan proves he can take the worst idea (a sequel to Kubrick’s The Shining??) and make it sing. Who would have thought yet another remake of Carrie could be so compelling? Mr. Flanagan, we’ll never doubt you again. If they ever announce you’re remaking Misery, I won’t scoff. I promise. After Carrie, you’ve earned the benefit of the doubt.
All eight episodes of Carrie drop on Prime Video on October 7.
Carrie ⭐ (4 of 5)
The post CARRIE Series Is the Best Adaptation Since the Original Film (Review) appeared first on Nerdist.
This articles is written by : Nermeen Nabil Khear Abdelmalak
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